Psychosocial Support Issues Affecting Older Patients: A Cross-sectional Paramedic Perspective

This research aimed to gain an understanding of the psychosocial support needs of older patients in the out-of-hospital setting from the perspective of paramedics. Specifically, we investigate if and how paramedics are able to meet the needs of older adults, and the barriers preventing them from ach...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Linda Ross MHlthProfEd, Paul Jennings PhD, Brett Williams PhD
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2017-09-01
Series:Inquiry: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1177/0046958017731963
Description
Summary:This research aimed to gain an understanding of the psychosocial support needs of older patients in the out-of-hospital setting from the perspective of paramedics. Specifically, we investigate if and how paramedics are able to meet the needs of older adults, and the barriers preventing them from achieving this. This study was a cross-sectional study utilizing a sequential design with both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. All participants agreed or strongly agreed that older patients have needs beyond the physical and that they would like to do more for older patients. Paramedics discussed that psychosocial support issues are rarely in isolation and straightforward but were often coupled with broader, longer term physical health and social support issues. They would like to be able to do more for patients but feel hamstrung by lack of time, resources, and know-how.
ISSN:0046-9580
1945-7243